I don't understand this google search behaviour

by 7 replies
9
Hi guys...

I search for the term keyword -- and google tells me that there about 1,110,000 results.

Then I search for the same word, but in quotation marks; "keyword" -- and google tells me that there are about 150,000 results.

Why this difference? It is the exact same word in both cases. Which count is more accurate?

Mys second question is this: google's keyword tool says that the word is getting 10,000 searches a month (for broad, or 5000 for exact -- I not sure what this means). Is this niche a good one to get into? There are actually a lot of bidders for this keyword on adwords, but they are selling a physical product relating to the keyword, not information or an ebook. What do you think?

Thanks for your help...
#search engine optimization #behaviour #google #search #understand
  • Hi akira,


    They are both accurate, number of results with or without quotes, and neither are very useful.

    Without quotes shows you the number of pages that contain some or all the words in any possible order. While the same query in quotes shows you the number of pages that contain the entire phrase in the quotes. Those are approximate numbers, of course.

    If you are interested in the number of searches for a particular phrase then the Exact match setting shows you that number under the Local Search Volume column (Phrase Match shows you searches for a combination of related queries).
  • > for broad, or 5000 for exact -- I not sure what this means)

    The keyword tool is more useful for Adwords users.

    Broad means all the words anywhere in the search term, in any order. Other words in the search term may be present. Therefore, "dog food" and "food for my dog" are each counted.

    Phrase: users who used that phrase as part of their search term. Other words in the search term may be present either before or after. Therefore "dog food" is counted, so is "dog food store", "place where they sell dog food" and "store selling dog food in mytown". But "food for my dog" is not as the phrase "dog food" is not found in that search.

    Exact: users who searched on that exact phrase.
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    • Thanks for the replys guys.

      What puzzles me is that the search term is only one single word...

      So word1 = 1.1 Million
      But "word1" = 150k

      It should be exactly the same right?
  • You would think so but they're not. Must be how Google figures it all out. Doesn't matter, you should not do SEO or PPC for a one-word keyword. Two-word keywords, maybe in PPC. Three words or more is what you should target.
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    • [ 1 ] Thanks
  • Search Engines use 'keyword stemming' algo to make out different variations of a keyword and this is what has happend in your case.

    Take a simple word like 'search' and see what happens when you use keyword stemming to expand the scope:

    searcher,searches, searching, searched, searchable...etc

    Keyword Stemming is also a vital part of SEO strategy.
    • [ 2 ] Thanks
    • [1] reply
    • Wow some excellent replies guys. Thanks for your help!

      Keyword Stemming. Now I understand what is happening.

      BTW, Blueice, your example of hairbrush is strangely similar to the actual term!!!
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  • Now that I think about it, keyword stemming is the more likely answer. I should have thought of it myself.
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